Do Orthopedic Mattresses Work? A Detailed Guide

Orthopedic mattresses are often recommended to patients who suffer from back or joint ailments because they are designed to spread the body’s weight evenly over the entire mattress to avoid the buildup of pressure in different areas, particularly the neck, back, and hips. This may reduce back pain, hip and joint discomfort, and muscle aches. If you’re wondering whether orthopedic mattresses work, the answer is “yes”.

Orthopedic mattresses can reduce back pain, help with spinal alignment, encourage good posture, alleviate arthritis pain, and overall body pain. However, orthopedic mattresses are not the best choice for everyone. For some, orthopedic mattresses can aggravate the symptoms of painful conditions.

Orthopedic mattresses, such as this Nutan mattress, generally have carefully constructed layers to support the body. Image Source: Amazon.

What Makes a Bed Orthopedic?

An orthopedic mattress is usually made up of several layers of different materials. While individually these materials are not considered orthopedic, when combined they make up the important components of an orthopedic mattress.

There is no single set of requirements for orthopedic mattresses. In general, orthopedic mattresses are specifically designed to support the natural alignment of the body and spine. They provide superior support to joints and the spine. 

The most common materials used in the manufacturing of orthopedic mattresses are memory foam, latex, and innerspring. Typically, each of these materials forms a layer of the mattress that serves a specific purpose to help with spinal alignment, back pain, arthritis, and general body pain. Our article about orthopedic mattress layers explains what these various layers do.

Because there are no consistent and reliable definitions as to which mattresses are classified as orthopedic, when you are looking for a mattress it is important to understand the specific design features of a mattress and their benefits to determine whether the mattress will meet your requirements. Read our article about which mattresses orthopedic doctors recommend to help you decide which one suits your needs. 

Orthopedic Mattress Benefits

A well-designed orthopedic mattress can provide comfort throughout the night by relieving chronic back pain, body pain, and pain caused by arthritis. 

Orthopedic mattress benefits include reducing back and body pain by helping to maintain healthy spine alignment. Orthopedic mattresses also help with arthritis, scoliosis, and other diseases associated with chronic pain like sciatica, by reducing pressure on the joints and spine. 

Because orthopedic mattresses can provide pain relief they promote longer-lasting REM sleep, good posture, and positive joint health. Read our article about choosing an orthopedic mattress for sciatica pain to learn about how orthopedic mattresses help reduce referred pain resulting from pressure on the sciatic nerve.

Orthopedic mattresses can help relieve pressure and reduce strain on the spine. Image Source: Amazon.

1. Orthopedic Mattresses Reduce Joint Pain

Since orthopedic mattresses started to gain popularity in the 1950s, they have been known to help patients suffering from joint pain in their knees, hips, shoulders, and elbows. The right orthopedic mattress like this one distributes pressure evenly across the mattress and cushions the spine and joints. Whether joint pain is caused by an accident, illness, or age, this cushioning provides relief from the symptomatic pain. Check out this video that explains more about what to do if you experience hip pain while sleeping.

Less joint pain means more peaceful and rejuvenating sleep. Orthopedic mattresses can be especially helpful for older people who have trouble falling asleep due to joint pain and reduced mobility. Our article about choosing an orthopedic mattress for elderly sleepers has handy tips for selecting an orthopedic mattress with the correct firmness and thickness for older people. 

2. Arthritis Symptom Relief

Arthritis is a medical condition that usually causes swelling and tenderness on or around one or more joints in the body. Common symptoms include pain and stiffness in joints. The condition can be uncomfortable, even debilitating. Using an orthopedic bed or mattress can help control or alleviate these symptoms. This article from the New England Journal of Medicine discusses types of orthopedic care for chronic arthritis sufferers. 

Although every arthritis sufferer has unique needs, an orthopedic mattress consisting of a spring core (innerspring) and a memory foam layer usually offers the optimal combination of firmness, support, and comfort needed to provide relief from arthritic pain. The combination of memory foam and innerspring provides support for knees, lower back, and spine—all common trigger points for arthritic symptoms. A good memory foam layer will provide the softness to cushion sensitive joints. Our article comparing orthopedic mattresses to spring mattresses explains the benefits of these different mattresses and how a combination mattress will help arthritis patients.   

3. Orthopedic Mattress for Back Pain Relief

Many people suffer from back pain nowadays due to their sedentary lifestyles and poor posture, as explained in this article from ScienceDirect. However, these orthopedic mattresses can help alleviate back pain—resulting in a more comfortable night’s sleep. Combinations of layers of memory foam or latex and innerspring can provide just the right kind of support and firmness to alleviate tension and back pain 

Zoned support can be especially helpful to promote proper alignment of the body and spine. Proper alignment and support ensure that muscles are not strained and can relax during the night. Without proper support, the back and other muscles remain tense throughout the night which affects sleep quality. Our article discusses the 7 benefits of orthopedic mattresses and how they improve sleep quality. 

4. Comfortable Sleep

The multi-layered design of orthopedic mattresses provides superior support for a resting body while also comfortably cradling painful joints. Memory foam molds to the shape of the body to reduce pressure points. Latex is both soft and supportive helping to avoid aches and bedsores. Innersprings provide support so that muscles can relax, and promote deep sleep. The most important factor in choosing an orthopedic mattress is to choose the right combination of softness and support. Our orthopedic mattress price guide is a helpful resource to read before you go shopping for your mattress. 

5. Good Posture

Orthopedic mattresses help to maintain a constant healthy posture while sleeping. The sags and dips in some mattresses can cause the body to sink into the mattress at night—leading to slouching during the day—which, in turn, can affect the spine. An orthopedic mattress can help to prevent this from happening. This latex mattress, for example, offers firm support for the spine and does not let the body sag into an unhealthy posture. 

Many modern orthopedic mattresses, like this Spring Coil mattress, have a pillow top for added comfort. Image Source: Amazon.

Orthopedic Mattress Disadvantages

While an orthopedic mattress can help alleviate a variety of ailments such as back pain, scoliosis, or symptoms of arthritis, it is also important to note that buying an orthopedic mattress might not always be a good idea. 

Orthopedic mattress disadvantages include aggravated back pain, increased joint pain, and muscle tension, resulting in poor sleep quality. In some patients, the supportive firmness of an orthopedic mattress may increase joint pressure and muscle tension as it is too rigid for painful joints or muscles. 

It is important to be aware of the disadvantages of orthopedic mattresses before going out and buying one. Should you already be experiencing discomfort, our article about what to do if an orthopedic mattress hurts your back offers helpful tips to fix this problem. Also, consider solving this problem by placing a high-quality mattress topper like this, on top of the mattress.

When used over a long time, an orthopedic mattress can lose its supportiveness or softness. To continue to reap the benefits of sleeping on an orthopedic mattress, it is important to replace an orthopedic mattress when it becomes worn. A used orthopedic mattress that begins to sag or lump can cause problems as the springs or other materials start to press into the body. 

To avoid aggravating existing symptoms, it is important to distinguish between a good quality orthopedic mattress like this and an ordinary mattress. Identifying an orthopedic mattress that is endorsed by medical professionals from an ordinary mattress that is incorrectly marketed as orthopedic can be a challenge requiring careful research. Our article comparing orthopedic mattresses to regular mattresses will help you to differentiate between a genuine orthopedic mattress and a fake one. 

Will an Orthopedic Mattress Work for You?

Knowing whether an orthopedic mattress is right for you and whether it will help you may require some research about your ailment and its symptoms and may even warrant consultations with medical professionals. 

Generally, an orthopedic mattress will alleviate pain from chronic back and joint conditions such as arthritis, scoliosis, and most other joint issues. Orthopedic mattresses made from memory foam and/or latex provide proper support and a firm sleep surface. Memory foam molds to the shape of the body to reduce pressure and improve blood circulation, while latex will help keep the spine aligned and allow muscles and joints to relax. 

Although an orthopedic mattress like this one can help relieve the majority of back and joint-related problems, they don’t work for everyone and cannot provide relief for every kind of problem. Orthopedic mattresses might not be so effective for some ailments, such as muscle tension. An orthopedic mattress can actually increase muscle tension, so if you do have consistent muscle tension, buying an orthopedic mattress may not be the right decision for you. For example, the latex or inner springs can often be too firm and can stop muscles from relaxing properly and aggravate tension. To alleviate muscle tension, the mattress should have the ideal combination of memory foam, latex, and innerspring.

Summary of Medical Conditions that Orthopedic Mattresses Can Help

Type of Pain or Health Problem	Do orthopedic mattresses work for this type of pain?	Medical Source	Example of Relevant Orthopedic Mattress From Amazon
Arthritis	Yes	University of Nebraska Medical Center Thesis	Serta – 9-inch Cooling Gel Memory Foam Mattress, Medium-Firm, Supportive
Scoliosis	Yes	American Journal of Nursing	Sweetnight Mattress – Queen, 10-Inch Gel Memory Foam, Flippable from Soft to Medium Firm
Muscle Tension	No	Sleep Ergonomics	King Mattress, Molblly 10 inch Individually Wrapped Coils Innerspring Hybrid Mattresses

Key Takeaways

Effectiveness in Alleviating Discomfort

Orthopedic mattresses are effective in alleviating discomfort associated with back, neck, and joint ailments by evenly distributing body weight, preventing pressure buildup, and promoting proper spinal alignment. They are particularly beneficial for individuals with chronic conditions like arthritis, scoliosis, and other pain-associated ailments.

Materials and Construction

The efficacy of orthopedic mattresses stems from their multi-layered construction, often encompassing memory foam, latex, and innersprings. Each material contributes to the mattress’s overall supportive nature, aiding in spinal alignment and reducing pressure points that trigger pain.

Improved Sleep Quality

By minimizing pain and discomfort, orthopedic mattresses promote better sleep quality. They support a relaxed posture during sleep, allowing muscles to rest, which in turn fosters deeper, more rejuvenating sleep cycles.

Posture Maintenance

Orthopedic mattresses aid in maintaining a healthy posture during sleep by preventing the body from sinking into sags and dips, which could lead to improper posture and subsequent spinal issues.

Potential Drawbacks

Despite their benefits, orthopedic mattresses may not be suitable for everyone. Some individuals may find the firmness aggravating to their existing conditions, causing increased joint pressure and muscle tension. Furthermore, the effectiveness of orthopedic mattresses may diminish over time as they wear out, necessitating timely replacement to continue reaping the benefits.

Individual Assessment and Professional Consultation

Choosing an orthopedic mattress requires an individual assessment of one’s ailments, symptoms, and preferences. It’s advisable to consult with medical professionals to determine whether an orthopedic mattress is the right choice, and if so, which specific type would best cater to one’s needs.